327 Queen St. East, between Parliament and Berkley streets, Toronto, Ontario, CANADA. 416.778.6608. email: info@ethel20thcenturyliving.com
Hours: Mondays by appointment, Tue - Thurs: 12pm - 6pm, Friday: 2pm - 7pm, Sat: 12 - 6, Sun: 12pm - 5pm

3.28.2012

Ethel is on the move!


You may have already heard, but Ethel is pulling up stakes and relocating the shop. We're not 100% sure where we're moving to yet, but we'll know by this Friday (just have to see a few more places to decide). At any rate, we have to be out of our current space by April 30th.

Since most of you out there have been through at least one big move or two, you can completely understand that the LAST thing we want to do is pack everything up to move it. We'd much rather sell it! So for the next month, we'll be marking a lot of our inventory down to get it out the door. We'll be posting about our sales and markdown prices in the next few days, as well as where our new location will be. In the meantime, we're open to offers and haggling on anything in the store. So come on down and help us NOT have to pack everything!

See you at the store!

3.24.2012

Teak-y time!

Even though we're moving in just over a month, we just couldn't resist this teak dining set and sideboard for the store.
The dining set was made in Denmark, and has six chairs and two pull out leaves. Two of the chairs need to be reupholstered, but that's an easy job for our friends at Princess Perfect!

Dining table & six chairs priced at $1295
UPDATE: Dining set has sold!

The sideboard was originally purchased from DeBoer's, and still has the original shipping tag. It features three sliding doors, adjustable shelves and two felt lined cutlery drawers.
Sideboard is priced at $895

So if you're looking for some Scandinavian scrumptiousness, come by and check it out.
See you at the store!



3.18.2012

Cleaning out the basement

If you haven’t heard already, Ethel is looking for a new home! We’re still hoping to stay in Leslieville, but if not, we’re looking for retail space in Corktown, Gerrard & Jones or possibly Riverside. Ethel is, at heart, an east end gal after all!


Since we are moving soon, we are starting to clear out the basement and finally get some of our basement projects done.

Take this set of three chairs.




When we got them, they were in a sad state, with shredded upholstery, dried out foam and sun bleached wood frames. The first step was to get them to Princess Perfect so Lisa Jo could get the seats and backs removed and ready for reupholstery. The second step was to clean up the frames.

  • First, a liberal scrub down with Murphy’s Oil Soap to remove any dust, dirt, old wax and general schmutz
  • Second, a coat of new dark stain to unify the wood colour and to offset the sun-faded arms
  • Third, wipe off any excess stain with Old English lemon oil furniture polish

Then, the frames had to dry overnight before we reattached the newly re-upholstered seats and backs. We had a couple of bolts of vintage deadstock fabric just waiting for the right project, so we went with two in the mustard and one in the coral. We’ve only had them on the floor since Saturday morning and already the coral one has been oohed and aahed over by most of our customers! The chairs are priced at $495 each, $875 for a pair, or $1350 for all three.

UPDATE: All three chairs have sold! Only 2 days on the store floor too!


We also decided to install this pair of teak swing-armed teak wall sconces that we've had in the basement for a while now.

A view of the sconces from inside the store
(we'd LOVE to buy the building across the street, and turn it into Ethel's new home,
but it's not for sale and buildings are really expensive...)

A view of the sconces from outside
UPDATE: One sconce has sold... and there's one left

The bubbled glass shades have a slight amber tinge which makes them very 60’s glam! We think they’d look great as bedside lamps (keeping your nightstands free) or on either side of a teak credenza. The sconces are $95 each or $175 for the pair.


So come by the store and help us clean out our basement. And if you know of any retail spaces for lease in the east end, let us know!

See you at the store!

3.12.2012

New Modernism Magazine is here!


We just got in the Spring 2012 issue of Modernism magazine!
This issue features stories on the airform structures of Wallace Neff, collecting mid-century jewellery and the fabric designs of Sonia Delaunay.
We still have a few back issues of Modernism in the store, on sale for $6 each, plus we still have a few Spring 2012 issue of Atomic Ranch left, so stock up on your summer reading now.
See you at the store!

3.11.2012

Spring is here!

It's spring out there so we decided to dress appropriately.

After all, LIfe is Too Short for Beige!!!
See you at the store!

3.08.2012

Ethel loves Pink!


We all know Ethel loves turquoise, but she also loves pink!
Last night, on TLC's My Collection Obsession, they did a segment on the Pink Lady of Hollywood, and as soon as she came on, we knew immediately that Miss Kitty Kay Sera and Ethel would get along famously.
This woman definitely lives life by our motto...Life is too short for beige!
Check out her website, and let us know if you could live with this much pink...(or turquoise...)

See you at the store!